Partial to a Grin
by heart-away
Summary: Au.GinXRangiku. After being orphaned, the Hitsugaya family adopted and raised Matsumoto Rangiku. Now its time to return the favor when a marriage with Ichimaru Gin, heir of the enemy must unite the two lands of 3rd and 10th territories.
1. Chapter 1

**-Partial to a Grin-**

**A/n: There are unfortunately not very many GinXRangiku fics out there. So being a fan of the couple, I decided to be part of the solution rather than the problem. I just wish to warn you first hand that this is au. You may notice some of the characters to be acting ooc, but the change was necessary in order to fill the plot. Last of all the ages have been scrambled around. So here I Go! **

**Extended Summary: Au. GinXRangiku. After being orphaned, the Hitsugaya family adopted and raised Matsumoto Rangiku. Now she finally has a chance to return the favor when a marriage with the heir of the enemy must unite the two lands of 3rd and 10th territories. What she doesn't know is that the marriage is ploy to gain the 10****th**** territories trust. Ratings WILL Rise.**

**Standard disclaimer applies. **

**Chapter rating: T**

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_-_

Violence happened. That's how the world always went. There was no possible way to stop it. Ichimaru Gin always wondered why that fact always unsettled people. Everybody already knew that it could and would happen, so why were they surprised? People were reduced to nothing but groveling puddles of despair to be walked over. Being witness to such scenes many times, the fox demeanored boy decided long ago…to 'never' let it cause any sort of surprise for him. He trotted on forward.

Gin's thought were interrupted by the boisterous laughter of a from chair man. "How pathetic, the 10th territory 'really' expects us to maintain peace? What fools they are," he spat! The overlord of the 3rd territory interrupted him. "Quiet! The trees have ears," he said. The man instantly obeyed, knowing from experience that this was not a man to be messed with. "Yes, Otoribashi-sama," he complied.

The lord continued, "We must gain their deepest trust, and when we have them in the palms of our hands, damp with anticipation, our plot will be revealed."

For the first time during the whole conversation, the lord directed a comment to him. "Follow my lead, boy. You'll learn a whole lot from this experience." Oh, yes he would. Dawn was beginning to approach and the pace was quickened. The entourage continued through the forest in new brisk pace, not wishing to be late for the peace convention. That would give off a 'terrible' first impression.

Gin simply grinned. Violence did happen a lot after.

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Matsumoto Rangiku awoke very early, as usual. Even without parents, she had been raised up sternly by her Uncle's family. This however wasn't the only reason that Rangiku had over the years adapted to her early morning schedule. She had found the time of day before the sunrise to be quite lovely with its ethereal glow and silence. She enjoyed waking up on time to view it.

This morning however, her pre-morning ritual had been interrupted. All members of the household and servants were already boisterously attending to domestic matters and such. Confusion had battled its way into her thoughts as she slowly preened the shouji screen door open and slid through. Everyone had been in such a rush that the typically meek under spoken orange-headed girl remained particularly overlooked this morning. She solemnly let her head fall as she realized that nobody was willing to grant her enough attention to answer her questions.

Still feeling a tad bit foggy from sleep, Rangiku trudged softly out of the house, passing many people. Even if everyone was already moving about she still planned to witness the morning return. On her way out, a calendar caught her eye. The date was circled, and underneath was an illegible scribble. Rangiku thought she could make out the word '3rd', tilting her head to one side.

The calendar had served to be a memory jog of sorts. Her index finger tapped against her jaw once or twice before it finally came to her with a gasp. Today was the day that the 3rd division would be visiting for a meeting…..the objective was to come in terms with an agreement that would allow peace between the two territories who had been disputing for a while now. Everything was up for negotiation. Borderlines and even her hand in marriage were at stake. Rangiku knew that her uncle would stop nowhere short of some sort of treaty or pact that would guarantee the safety of the 10th territory.

His successor, Toshirou was so young and probably could not fair well with war at this time after all. At the thought of her little cousin, a smile slipped on her lips. Toshirou, though merely the age of ten years, acted much older than his age. He had a keen intelligence, quick wit, and not to mention he kept a composed attitude at nearly all times. She giggled as she thought of a few times when he had lost his 'cool' in her presence. He was still a child at heart, though he would never show it. Not wanting to be anywhere near the chaos that took place, Rangiku left to breath in her daily dose of morning air and soak up a bit of dawnly sun rays. Perhaps things would be less chaotic by then.

-

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-

After her wondrous encounter with nature and its many woodland creatures, Rangiku returned to the household. The chaos had persisted even at her return, and her serenity was nearly lost. She was forced to maneuver around the many busy occupants, seeing that otherwise she might have found herself trampled over, or roughed up a bit.

As two burly looking men passed, Rangiku had to remember to bow respectfully, recognizing them as chair members of the 10th territory council. The bow was short lived though, considering that, they too were in a rush, probably to find and speak with her uncle. Even standing off against the wall, she had still found herself to be in the way of someone. A familiar looking maid was dusting around sporadically. She awkwardly stepped out of her way and continued down the hall, almost bumping into another man.

She immediately swirled around to grant him an apology, but her breath caught in her throat at the sight of him. He looked …peculiar. He had morning stubble and a gentle grin. It was a relief knowing that at least he wasn't angry with her. Particularly though, it was his hat that grabbed all of her attention. She recalled a memory of when Toshirou had once worn a hat indoors. It granted him a swift smack across the head, and a stern scolding. He hadn't worn any headgear of any sort since. Yet, this man could adorn this green and white striped hat, and nobody was attempting to inform him that he couldn't do otherwise. Who could he possibly be?

Noticing her blatant staring and partial disbelief, he cleared his throat to obtain her attention. Snapping out of her trance, she embarrassedly apologized with not only words but also multiple bows, and then hurriedly left the older man's presence. It was a huge relief when she made back to her room. On top of her futon, she sat with her knees neatly folded under herself. She played with the sleeves of her Yukata and listened passed her thin shouji walls as people shuffled about and spoke short greetings to one another.

After a few 'good days' and 'hellos', something managed to catch Rangiku's attention. Two maids seemed to be gossiping about the 3rd division. This was exactly the sort of thing Rangiku was looking for. Though the maids were whispering amongst each other, Rangiku had years of practice listening for the chatter of maids, otherwise, she would be clueless about most of the happenings within her own home.

"It's official now, rather than sending someone to speak for him, Rojuro Otoribashi is to come here himself! He wishes to set an example for his heir," the maid said to her friend. Rangiku furrowed her brow. So the Over Lord himself was coming? "Heir you say? I thought his wife had been unable to bare him a son," the other maid whispered back. After a small pause, the first maid said, "That is true, but in the 10th territory, leadership isn't hereditary. Awhile back, the heir's name was released. He is 'Ichimaru Gin.' Isn't that such a strange name?" The maids giggled for a moment, then compared it to the oddness of Rangiku's name. Throughout the whole affair, Rangiku continued to listen pristinely, albeit with a pout on her lips. Rangiku happened to be a fairly normal name, or so she believed. The maids went back to the topic. "So who else is supposed to be here," the maid asked. "Oh, just some other chair men, and possibly someone else, I'm not quite sure though." With that the maids were discovered doing there idle chatter by the head servant, and were made to scurry off and finish their jobs.

So, the chances of her being married off had risen significantly. This was something that Rangiku had accepted long ago. She happened to be very flexible person. She was being taught 'how to be a lady' for as long as she could remember. She would of course miss the life that she harbored so far, but only a little. This was a wild dance that she had never fit into.

With nothing else to do, Rangiku left her room, lightly assessing the information she had just gathered. This time though, instead of getting in the way, she found a sponge, dropped to her knees and began scrubbing aptly. Someone was probably bound to tell her to do so eventually.

Rangiku assumed that the meeting was to begin soon, when the chaos began to die down exponentially. Since lessons had been cancelled for the day, Rangiku had nothing to do, and disliking having to leave things unfinished, she became determined to finish scrubbing the hallway floor. By the time she finished, her knees were sore and her stomach rumbling from skipped breakfast. Yet she felt the heavy satisfaction of completing something wash over her countenance, causing her to smile.

Her brief glory basking was interrupted, just as nearly everything had been today. The maid who had been dusting burst through the doors, hurriedly running towards her. Rangiku was pulled to her feet by the wrist, and pulled towards the door that the maid had entered from while the maid herself began a rant. She uttered something along the lines of having been searching for Rangiku forever, and being unable to find her.

Rangiku blinked confusedly. Certainly, that couldn't possibly be the case. Since the dusting incident not too long ago, she had encountered this maid at least one or two times. It must have been Rangiku's natural knack for being easily over looked.

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-

Rangiku found herself being promptly tossed into her aunt's vanity room onto a cushion. Sitting across from her was her aunt. She instantly dropped into a deep respectful bow. This was a woman she would be forever in debt to. After the tragic death of her parents, the sister of Rangiku's father had convinced her husband, the lord of the 10th division to adopt Rangiku into their own family.

Her aunt prompted her to rise, and so she did. She met grey eyes. It was astounding how much her beloved aunt and Toshirou looked alike. Rangiku shook her head, to clear her thoughts. She could revel on the two's similarities later. There was a sharp tension in the air, signifying that whatever was to be said would be paramount.

"Rangiku," the woman softly uttered. In reply, the orange-headed girl nodded her head. "The terms of our treaty are being made. I suspect that you have already taken this into consideration," she asked. Once again, Rangiku enthusiastically nodded. Her aunt always spoke with ardent grace and intelligence. Rangiku would often attempt to mimic it whenever she felt the need to impress someone.

When her aunt's countenance fell forlornly, she instantly knew what had been agreed on. Still she sat up straight and fiddled with her hair, waiting for the news to be physically delivered. "So far we have gotten the terms to where we would like it, but the Overlord Otoribashi is hesitant to sign it. He feels that his territory will not benefit. You are our last chance. If his heir takes a liking to you, then perhaps he will agree after all," she informed Rangiku. "What do you want me to do," Rangiku asked, still confused about the plan. "I want you to deliver a tray of tea," her aunt revealed slyly.

And so, Rangiku agreed to play her part.

-

The night before, Rangiku had bathed in many fragrant oils, and consequently still smelled rather good. She was dressed as she usually was, in silken layers. Still, she was only to be fourteen soon. The art of 'seduction' had not yet been introduced to her. Her aunt of course had already thought of this, and agreed on her serving tea. If there was one thing that Rangiku could do well, it was serving tea. She was relying on nothing but a set of tea serving tricks she had obtained.

It would feel terrible for her to fail this task.

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Not many took notice to her presence as she entered. That was a large relief on her part. She had feared that everyone's attention would have been put on her upon her arrival. A flash of green brought her attention to the man wearing a striped hat. He was chewing on a dry blade of grass and shifting his position. He moved his arms behind his back and yawned. There was definitely a sharp tension buzzing across the room, yet he seemed unaffected by it, in his little corner.

Her uncle's face possessed a stern expression meant to intimidate. Next to her uncle sat Toshirou, who also kept his countenance firm. She peered across from them and saw the Overlord of the 10th territory. Next to him, sat a silver haired boy who she could only assume was the heir. Between both groups sat a scroll…the treaty. Her uncle eyed the scroll with heavy reverence as he spoke, listing all the advantages that it would grant the 10th territory. Otoribashi remained unmoved, with a slight frown adorning his features. This was not looking good. She had to do her best.

Counting the many faces around the room, she picked up the appropriate amount of teacups, and sat them up across the serving tray. The tinkering of porcelain brought his attention towards her briefly, and once he saw what she was doing, a smug smile hit his lips. Bringing his attention back to the stubborn and typically violent Otoribashi, he finished his sentence with more confidence. The lord in question arched a brow, wondering what else her uncle had up his sleeve.

After his father, Toshirou too took notice of the plot at hand. His initial reaction was confusion, but remembering where he was, he recovered quickly and went back to his original expression. She chose this time to observe Ichimaru Gin for the first time. Like his namesake, he had Silver hair. For his position, his expression was strange. For as long as she had been in the room, he possessed a grin of such intensity, Rangiku wondered if he was trying to hold back a laugh or something. He looked older than she did, but not by much. Rangiku was unable to see his eyes.

She tried to imagine what color they would be as he turned to look at her for the first time. How curious this boy had made her feel! She noticed others giving him untrusting and shifty glances- even a few fleeting looks from his own division. She was unusually intrigued by him. Rangiku didn't know what to make of the guy.

Rangiku shook her head, and concentrated on the task at hand. It was to work her magic. She straightened her posture and began. With immaculate accuracy, she prepared her famous tea. As she worked, the kettle was spun around and gracefully in her fingers. Steam arose from the boiling water and she blew softly into it, causing to waft away into whimsical loops and rings. Her display began to grab the attention of the room's inhabitants.

She took hold of a stirring spoon with a grip that made her fingers appear longer and stirred gently in circles. She began to hum light heartedly. As she stirred each cup, the steam would arise into more elaborate silhouettes and shapes. She had made a very good impression. She finished the last cup with a tap to its side. She carefully handed everyone a cup of tea.

As the tea was tasted, a series of positive hums and compliments followed. It tasted wonderful. Everyone attempted to decipher her secret ingredient unsuccessfully. She only smiled politely to their guesses. She served Ichimaru Gin last. Her eyes originally intended to meet his, but to her chagrin, they were 'still' closed. Had he even 'seen' her trick?

"Oh yes, excuse my manners," her uncle said. "Before we continue, I must introduce you all to my niece. Her name is Matsumoto Rangiku."

Then Uncle Hitsugaya went for the kill.

"Perhaps the young Ichimaru-san is entertained by the idea of taking my dearest niece as a wife?"

An intense silence filled the room, as expected. Rangiku tilted her head to the side questioningly, feigning confusion. He never answered. Instead, Lord Otoribashi did it for him.

"He would be delighted," he said, massaging his beard with thick calloused fingers. Ichimaru Gin's expression never changed. He just kept grinning. Rangiku looked to her uncle as he spoke. "We'd have to no doubt, include this in the treaty, of course. This is another advantage for 3rd territory.

The treaty would be signed after all.

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**-**

**A/n: Keep in mind that the rating will go up in future chapters. **

**-and yes, Rojiro Otoribashi actually was the captain of 3****rd**** division preceding Gin…not some random oc….just mentioning that because I had forgotten of his existence before I did some research. :0**

**Rangiku is portrayed as less fun-loving then the actual bleach Rangiku in the first chapter because I was trying to emphasize the meek little Rangiku that was portrayed in the flashbacks, when she first met Gin. Being a main character and all…she too is going to have to go through some sort of emotional change. To drop a few hints, the lesson is learned that sometimes in life, you can't escape turmoil by accepting it..and when that happens…you have to break a few noses till you get your way. :)  
**

**Reviews please? **

………………………………**Heart---- away…………………………….**


	2. Chapter 2

**-Partial to a Grin-**

**Part 2**

**a/n: Yay! Chapter two is finally here. Thank you for the feedback everyone! In this chapter you will see a different side of Rangiku that isn't 'as' submissive. That spark is what will eventually grow, transforming her into the Rangiku we know and love. **

**Does anyone remember the scene where Gin goes 'Bai bai'. Well I just watched this video where he says that over and over and over…GAH…I can't get enough Gin!!! **

**Extended Summary: Au. GinXRangiku. After being orphaned, the Hitsugaya family adopted and raised Matsumoto Rangiku. Now she finally has a chance to return the favor when a marriage with the heir of the enemy must unite the two lands of 3rd and 10th territories. What she doesn't know is that the marriage is ploy to gain the 10****th**** territories trust. Ratings WILL Rise.**

**Chapter rating: PG-13**

**Standard disclaimer applies.**

-

It was official. Matsumoto Rangiku was engaged. The Excited chatter of an upcoming wedding rang through the halls. Everyone was so excited. The 10th territory would not have to go into a war with the 3rd territory. A treaty had been made valid.

The initial excitement of her success had by now worn off. Rangiku now realized the severity of her actions. She was betrothed to a man…no a boy that she had just met. It wasn't even a formal meeting towards him alone. It was to the entire council. He was heir to one of the most violent territories, so he had to have some sort of edge to him. A shudder made its way down her spine as she that grin of grin of his. She was unable to come to an understanding when it came to his mannerisms.

She wasn't offended that he had completely ignored her. Everybody seemed to that. She was very used to that at this point in time. It was just that his seemingly permanent facial express left her a bit unnerved. And whatever parts of her that weren't unnerved were blatantly curious.

Overall, she just didn't feel too good about this whole situation.

Rangiku felt guilty about her new found doubts. Her aunt would think that she was a selfish girl. 'It's the least I could do,' Rangiku found herself whispering to herself as a mantra. Everybody else seemed to be ecstatic about the deal, with the exception of Toshirou, who kept passing her skeptical glances during meals. Besides that, everyone was fine…so why couldn't she be happy about this too? The more she told herself this, of course, the less she felt assured.

Once she had even gained the nerve to approach her aunt with the issue. Just as she was about to reveal her thoughts, her aunt had abruptly pulled her into an embrace, granting Rangiku praise that she had never before received. In the end Rangiku had ended up keeping it all to herself.

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It had been two days since her marriage arrangement had been announced. It had been decided that Rangiku was to leave the 10th estate very early the next day. Those thoughts had done nothing to soothe the unease she was feeling. Everything was moving so fast! Already, she would be forced to leave the only place she had ever considered a home. It was almost too much to bear.

Her uncle and aunt were celebrating the treaty tonight with a dinner party. Many important faces had shown up. Rangiku instead of being able to attend the party as a guest was told that she was to serve the tea. Talk of her little tea trick had spread around like a wild fire, apparently. Rangiku found it to be degrading. There wouldn't be a treaty if in the first lace if it hadn't been for her. They were celebrating as if it had been the fruit of their own labor.

She of course, chose to grin and bear it. She feared what would happen if she voiced such thoughts. Surely people wouldn't approve of such behavior. Her brief rush of anger dissipated. Rangiku instead stared at the crowd before her from her very forgettable corner, longing to be able to participate in their laughter filled conversation.

Rangiku's envious gaze was interrupted by the sound of a clearing throat. Rangiku jumped in surprise. She glanced at who had disturbed her. It was the man with the green striped hat. Knowing what he had come here for, Rangiku looked down as she poured him some tea.

She slid his cup along the table so it was within his reach. Before she could let go, he swiftly placed his hands over hers, not allowing her hands free. Confusedly she pulled her gaze up from the cup and met his eyes. They held this mischievous look within them. Rangiku's brow furrowed as she watched the side of his lip curl upwards.

"So you must be the lucky bride to be," he spoke. Rangiku stupidly nodded, not knowing what to say. He was the first person to address her since the whole dinner party had begun. Nobody had strayed to her corner unless asking for a refill of tea. He released his grip and allowed her fingers to slip free. "Yeah, I'd be pretty peeved too if my family was about to ship me out to wed the heir of a territory known for its wickedness. He reached behind his head to scratch itch."No! I'm not angry about it at all," Rangiku attempted to argue, "It's an honor to be able to…," Rangiku trailed off with a sigh, giving up on her point as he began laughing at her. "Urahara Kisuke's the name," he said to her. "Uh," was the only response Rangiku was able to get out before he interrupted again, this time appearing to be in a rush.

"I'll see you around…don't forget to bring that fiery little spirit of yours too," chuckled, "You're going to need it." With that, he walked back into the throng of people, disappearing from her sight. For the rest of the night Rangiku found herself roaming the crowd, searching for a striped hat. For underneath it was the only person who seemed to realize what she was going through.

-

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-

Exhausted from the festivities, as soon as she was able to, Rangiku headed for bed. The next morning would prove to be very stressful, and Rangiku wished to receive all the sleep that she could get.

She had been lying on her back and staring at her ceiling when she dozed off. A few hours passed by, and Rangiku had unconsciously rolled on her side. Something was beginning to lure her away of the escape of slumber. The incessant whispering of her name eventually caused her to wake with a start. Rangiku groaned tiredly.

It had been surprised to meet the intense gaze of her little cousin.

"Toshirou," Rangiku mumbled in her sleepy haze. "Rangiku, you have to wake up," he whispered sharply. At this, Rangiku rubbed her eyes. With it, the sleep faded. "What do you want, squirt," she said in an annoyed fashion. Toshirou growled in frustration at the mention of that dreaded nick name that she could only ever use in private.

"I'm serious, Rangiku," he bit out, suppressing his anger. Rangiku nodded, now wide awake and curious as to why her little cousin had snuck into her room. He parted his lips as if about to say something, but then averted his eyes. He fingered her futon nervously, as if he didn't want to say it.

"Well?" Rangiku intoned, becoming impatient with him. She jabbed at his sleeved arm with her finger. Finally, he grumbled something that she couldn't really hear. Rangiku leaned in closer, "What?" she asked. "I said that," he began, "I…I'm going to miss you, okay!" he shouted. Rangiku winced at his tone at first, but then his words sank in.

So she did the thing that he had least expected her to do…she began to giggle madly. "Hey, what are you laughing at!" he said, a tint of red beginning to rise to his cheeks. Rangiku shook her head as her laughter came to a halt.

"Thank you Toshirou, I was beginning to think that no one really cared," Rangiku answered honestly. They sat in a comfortable silence for a few moments before Toshirou spoke once more. "Rangiku," about this whole treaty thing, I'm still skeptical," he started. "Just…be careful and take care of your self okay?" he finished. Rangiku hummed a positive note, so he stood to leave.

They exchanged their final good nights and Toshirou left to return to his own room. She wasn't the only one who was in for a busy day in a few hours. Rangiku plopped back down on her futon and made herself comfortable. She was able to go sleep with a smile on her face.

At least now she had two people on her side, and that was a whole lot more than what she used to having.

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-

Just as Rangiku had predicted, the next morning had indeed been quite frantic. The servants had woken her up earlier than expected, which was quite early, considering Rangiku usually awoke before even the maids. This morning there would be no time for that morning walk that she oh so needed.

Much to her chagrin, they had dressed in layer upon layer of silk. She felt thick and heavy. With each step she took, she feared that she would collapse. She had talked the maid into allowing her hair to hang down, instead of pulling it up into some sort elaborate shape that resembled a fruit.

After fussing over her makeup, the maids had finally left her alone. Rangiku took this as a good time, to remove some of the layers and hide them where they couldn't be found. No one seemed to notice.

-

The carriage had arrived soon after she was prepared. It was elaborate vehicle, filled with posh and pulled by two thick muscled steeds.

A nervous looking blonde haired man stepped out and made his way to the group. He bowed respectfully before her uncle. He was addressed. "You're Izuru Kira I presume." The blonde man nodded curtly as he stiffly rose from his bow. "I apologize but there is no time for pleasantries at the moment. We must be on our way," he spoke softly. Her uncle grunted in response, and gestured Rangiku forward.

Rangiku walked forward after receiving a quick but assuring hug from her aunt, and small wave good bye from her cousin. Kira fidgeted a moment unsure of how to react to her. To help calm his nerves, she gave him a smile, but it only seemed to fluster him all the more.

"Please follow me."

Awkwardly she was led to and then helped into the carriage. Before taking his place next to the man with reigns, he spoke to her once more. "Please inform me if you require anything," he said with a stammer. "Yes, Izuru-san," Rangiku answered. With that said and done Izuru Kira let out a loud resolute sigh and took his place next to driver.

Their journey had just begun. Little did Kira realize just what he was in for.

-

"Ne… Kira," Rangiku's voice piped up once again as it had been doing a lot for the past few hours. "Yes," he said warily, not wishing to continue the conversation he was holding. Rangiku had been quick to drop all formalities of speech with him…it was completely unexpected. From what he'd heard this girl was reportedly all mellowed out. "What's it like," Rangiku asked. He craned his neck around to give her confused glanced. Not only did she seem to enjoy talking very much, but he could barely make sense of anything she said.

"What's what like?" he finally responded.

Rangiku found that she quite liked talking to Kira. It was completely unlike how she would talk to anyone else. Back at home, she would have never had the gull to speak to someone this much! It was invigorating. She didn't feel that she had to filter anything that she said…nobody was judging her.

That's what drove her curiosity. She wished to know if all people from 3rd territory were like this. This…was something she could get used to.

"What's the 3rd territory like?" she asked once again, this time being more specific. Kira had turned his back to face front and released yet another sigh.

For the rest of the ride, the two remained locked in there discussion.

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Upon arrival, Rangiku had been quickly and quietly led through the castle. She wished to ask Kira why he was in such a rush, but the distressed look within his eyes begged her not to. She abided to his wishes in discontent. The blonde man had seemed so much more open on the carriage. He had become tense and distant, unwilling to go along with her many antics. He had led her through a series of twisted halls and doors.

"Well," Kira said. The noise had startled Rangiku. Everything was just so…silent. "This is where I was instructed to leave you." Kira continued, "My apologies that there was no one to greet you. At the moment everyone is…out…handling serious business." Rangiku shuddered at his tone. With an exchange of bows, he slid the door shut.

Rangiku immediately spun around to observe her surroundings. The only lighting was coming from a single candle. It made the room glow warmly. She accepted the invitation of the candle, and began to assess it.

Though the walls looked to be made of shouji screens, Rangiku guessed that it was merely the design. She poked at one cautiously to test this theory. Her finger met cold stone wall. It was a very sound proof room. She eventually discovered that there had only been one wall not aligned with stone. The other side must have been 'outside'.

The walls were aligned with wooden chests and low shelving. Her gaze brushed past another set of shoji doors, which she assumed led to a closet. Nothing particular caught her eye. It was just a bunch of knick knacks littered across the room neatly, as if they had been organized in a certain pattern.

Rangiku eventually grew tired of standing awkwardly in the middle of this room and made way towards a futon located in the corner. It was large enough to fit a multitude of people, Rangiku noticed. She knelt down cautiously and reached out towards the sleek fabrics, marveling at it's softness.

She pulled it to her face and caressed it against her cheek. A smell that she quite enjoyed intruded her senses, she inhaled it with much vigor.

Rangiku stripped down to her last layer, and crawled on top. It wasn't long until she dozed off.

-

Rangiku's eyes fluttered open softly as she awakened. The candle had gone out, leaving the room shrouded in darkness. It took a few moments until her eyes could adjust. The body pressed against her side was comfortingly warm. And it smelled so good! That scent from earlier had somehow increased. With a mewl of appreciation, Rangiku arched into the solid body like a kitten. Her drowsy mind was just about to allow her to fall back into her slumbers…when….

Finally Rangiku came to her senses, and tensed. There was somebody lying next to her! She rolled over to see who would He was turned away from her, but she instantly recognized who it was. Revealed to her was a slim, but masculine nape, topped with silvery locks, tussled around from sleep. Slow intakes of breath told her that he was still sleeping. With that knowledge in mind, she tried to relax a little.

Warily she sat up, supported by her arms. Her now fully adjusted eyes caught sight of a bright fabric sprawled across her own clothing. It's light color gave way to the dark stains and splotches that covered it. Realizing the stain to be blood, Rangiku's pulse began to race. Whatever 'business' he had attended to that night defiantly involved violence…possibly even death.

Rangiku inwardly scolded herself for her fear. She was to be his wife! It was quite unlikely that her blood would be spilled over his garments as well. With that thought in mind, she shakily lied down once again-this time with space between them-.

At first it was difficult to give in to sleep, with the solid figure next to her. Rangiku was unable to hold out on her sleep for long though, and she drifted off.

-

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**-**

**A/n: So did you take notice of Rangiku's slight change in personality? Good. Now expect that to continue to grow throughout the chapters. I don't intend for there to be an Urahara Matsumoto romance, but there alliance WILL be important in future chapters. I just wanted to clear that up. **

**Sorry if this is going at an unusually slow pace everyone! Next chapter…I finally get to the Gin/Ran stuff! I'm just trying to work the plot around it. **

**Also, please don't forget that this is an AU. **

**Reviews? **


	3. Chapter 3

RENOVATION CALL!

Hi guys. I just wanted to let you know that right now I'm "Spring Cleaning" my stories. The reason why I hardly ever update is that I haven't planned out the entire story before I start writing. Soooo from now on, before I post anything I'm going to at least have the entire plot line finished.

Also, my writing style has changed, as expected so the replacement chapters will in theory be written better.

When I went through this process with my other story, Sword Whisperer, the changes were so drastic that I ended up completely deleting it and then adding a new story. However I now realize that by doing that I a lot of people who were following me lost their "alerts". So this time I will just be replacing previous chapters with new ones.

Look forward to this!

Thanks, heart-away


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